Guiding Light
by Shimjims
Summary: Two years ago, Luffy lost his guiding light: his brother, Ace. Now, he finds himself faced with the oppurtunity to be with him once again. But in the end, he'll have to choose. His brothers? Or his nakama?
1. Chapter 1: Carelessness

**Chapter 1: Carelessness**

**Disclaimer: One Piece is not mine.**

**This story contains character abuse! Oh noes! ****If you don't like, click "back" now.**

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It happened so fast.

One moment, the Strawhats were laughing and cheering as the monster trio sparred with a couple of Sea Kings. Usopp had made a few cracks about the fight being a battle between beasts. Not a single soul on board the Thousand Sunny gave much thought to the fight. In fact, for the most part, they were treating it like an ordinary day. The men of the ship often got restless, so the sea monsters proved to be great punching bags for the three top fighters.

The two monsters were hideous. One resembled a barracuda with glowing red eyes. The other looked like a giant weasel with overgrown fangs. Zoro and Sanji decided to take on the barracuda while Luffy insisted on having the sea weasel for himself. The trio wasn't putting their full effort into the fight. Still, the three men made it look like child's play. Luffy had climbed up on the sea weasel's head and was laughing loudly as he pummeled its massive cranium with a barrage of rubber fists. Zoro sliced a tooth off of the barracuda while Sanji danced through the air and landed a devastating kick to its jaw. The barracuda's eyes glowed with rage. The monster trio was given its name for a reason.

"Shishishi, Sanji! We're having Sea King meat for dinner, ri-"

Strength was one thing. Clumsiness and carelessness, on the other hand, were in a completely different spectrum. The calm laughter of the Strawhats faded into silence momentarily before giving way to shrieks. Sanji and Zoro seemed to freeze in midair as they watched the horrifying scene fold out in front of them. Luffy's voice had distracted the both of them momentarily. As luck had it, it also caught the attention of the monstrous barracuda. In a flash of blue scales, the Sea King had lunged forward, sensing its brief advantage. On the cold and harsh sea, there was no such thing as fighting fair. The moment opportunity arose, the barracuda had clamped its jaws around their captain's wiry body. A sickly spray of crimson blood washed over the Thousand Sunny.

"LUFFY!"

All of the Strawhats cried his name out in harmony. Their captain struggled weakly as he tried to lift himself off of the needle-sharp fangs of the Sea King. There was no such luck. One fang peeked through his abdomen morbidly, releasing a pool of liquid garnet onto his sticky flesh. Another smaller fang skewered his leg. To summarize it, things weren't looking too well for the Strawhat captain. Black spots began to accumulate in his vision. The sounds around him were overpowered by the erratic beating of his heart. In his last minutes of consciousness, he could vaguely make out Zoro's shape as he felt the fangs slip out of his body. After that, Luffy's awareness slipped away.

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"Nnnng…"

Luffy released a soft moan as his eyes fluttered open. The moment his eyes opened, all of his pain returned to him and he instinctively clutched his stomach as he writhed in pain. In that moment, he began to realize that something was terribly wrong. Underneath him was soft, spongy soil speckled with patches of springy grass. The thick scent of the forest wafted into his nostrils. The medicinal scent of the infirmary was nowhere to be found. However, the most disturbing and unusual part of his situation was the area where his wounds should have been… There _was _no sign of injury other than the intense waves of pain. His flesh was unharmed and completely devoid of blood.

In a confused frenzy, the Strawhat captain scrambled to his feet and shakily stood up. There was something oddly familiar about his surroundings. Underneath of the panic and initial shock, something about the lush, lively forest he was standing in comforted him. Luffy cautiously and weakly took a step forward. As he stumbled, he reached out for a tree to give him support. The ocean was nowhere in sight. His nakama were nowhere to be found. Luffy dug his nails into the bark of the wood. For two years, he was separated from his nakama. He didn't want to be away from them any longer. The wood was rough against the tips of Luffy's nails. Right now, the subtle pain was the only thing that kept him from screaming out.

"L-Luffy? Is that you?"

"Luffy?"

The Strawhat captain froze in place. His dark eyes widened, contributing to the shocked, grim expression on his face. His surroundings were oddly familiar, but he couldn't place his finger on it. Those two voices however… He could never forget them. The first was gentle and unsure. It was a voice that he hadn't heard in two years. It was a voice that he had _lost _two years ago. The second was subtly different than the voice he had etched into his memory, but it was still recognizable. It was a loud, almost childish voice that he hadn't heard in over 10 years, if not longer.

"A-Ace? Sabo?" Luffy choked out, setting his stunned, watery eyes on the two figures.

_To be continued..._

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**Short chapter! But I believe I got my point across. It's a bit confusing right now, but rest-assured, everything will clear up in the next chapter.**

**Rates and reviews keep me going! So please, feed the starving writer, why don't you?**


	2. Chapter 2: Out Cold

**Chapter 2: Out Cold**

**Disclaimer: One Piece is still not mine. /sadface/**

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With tears in his eyes, the Strawhat captain lunged forward and wrapped Ace in the tightest hug he could muster. There were so many different, intense emotions colliding in Luffy's chest that all he could manage to do was cry. The tears simply wouldn't stop. Ace returned his brother's embrace and couldn't help but shed a few tears of his own.

"What about me, Luffy?" Sabo piped up, tapping his younger brother on the shoulder. Luffy grinned through the tears and gave the blonde man a hug as well. After the warm reunion became calm, the Strawhat captain stood still, trembling with a mix of confusion, weakness and happiness. Suddenly, Ace and Sabo's excitement faded away into sadness. Luffy cocked his head in bewilderment when Ace put his large, rough hands on his shoulders.

"W-what do you mean? Where is here?" Luffy asked quietly.

Sabo and Ace exchanged quick looks. Luffy had no idea where he was or why he was there. The shock of seeing his 'dead' brothers in front of him sent his mind reeling with an aching confusion. There was a brief moment of silence shared between the three brothers. The wind rustled peacefully through the leaves and the chirping of birds could be heard distinctly on the breeze.

"What do you remember doing last, Luffy?" Ace interrogated carefully, noticing his brother's fragile state of mind.

"Well, I was with my crew. We were coming back from Fishman Island," he explained. Sabo and Ace looked at him with raised eyebrows, urging him to continue his explanation. "Then there were Sea Kings! Sanji was going to make us Sea King meat for dinner so we fought them. I was beating one of their asses when suddenly…"

His voice grew significantly quieter and the excitement of the tale slipped away. Piece by piece, Luffy was putting the situation together. He may not be the sharpest crayon in the box, but he wasn't a hopeless idiot. He now realized that his reunion with his brothers wasn't in the way he wished it. "…Suddenly the Sea King that Sanji and Zoro were fighting turned on me. I got skewered with its fangs and everything started to go really fuzzy. The last thing I remember was Zoro lifting me off of the Sea King's fang and then I woke up here. But that can't be right because this is the forest. I was out at sea."

The three brothers blinked. Luffy fell back against the tree and slid into a sitting position. He looked down steadily, training his gaze on a small sliver of grass that peeked through his toes.

"Ace? Sabo? Am I dead?"

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Zoro laid the bleeding body of his captain on the soft white bed of the infirmary. The sheets were tainted almost instantaneously as the pure, snowy color became a sickly shade of crimson. Chopper morphed into Heavy Point and shoved Zoro aside. Normally, the little reindeer doctor was gentle and kind, however, when duty called, he was as serious as they came. The furry doctor started tending to the abdominal wound first. It was the most serious of his injuries. The skewered leg would be a problem, but it wouldn't threaten his life.

Right now, it was touch and go. The Strawhats gathered outside of the door anxiously. They all seemed to be holding their breath. Luffy was strong. No one could deny that… But no one could deny the severity of his wound either. Everyone saw the fangs clamp onto his body. They felt the nauseating spray of blood mixed with salt water. What terrified them most, however, was seeing the bouncy, hyperactive body of their captain transform into a limp ragdoll right in front of their eyes.

When Zoro hopped aboard the Sunny with Luffy in his arms, the raven-haired boy looked like a train wreck. If it weren't for the faint rise and fall of his chest, they would have thought he was already gone. The first mate wasted no time shoving past his crewmates and heading for the infirmary. Chopper had already rushed ahead frantically to gather his supplies. Now, all the crew could do was wait outside the door of the infirmary anxiously. Minutes felt like hours. An hour felt like a day.

"Do you think he'll make it?" Usopp murmured, breaking the silence. The crew exchanged looks with each other. They seemed unsure for once.

"Of course he'll make it, dumbass," Zoro hissed. He had been kicked out of the infirmary. His words seemed to have effect on the crew. "He isn't Pirate King yet."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Usopp said, smiling weakly. Just then, the door to the infirmary opened and the Strawhats scuttled out of the way. Chopper had switched to Brain Point. His eyes were hidden away under the shadow of his hat. As the crew awaited his response in silence, the tiny reindeer slowly lifted his head and looked up at them. His eyes were moist, trying to fight back tears.

"He's… stable for now," he said quietly. Normally, the crew would be overjoyed but they rarely saw Chopper close to crying if his patient was okay.

"When will he wake up, Doctor-San?" Robin asked calmly, finally breaking the icy silence.

"…That's the problem! I don't know," Chopper cried out. His little hooves trembled. "When he lost all of that blood his body went into shock. Luffy is… Luffy is in a coma. It's possible that…he could never come out of it."

The Strawhat crew was quiet. Their fearless, stupidly strong captain was sitting at Death's door… and it was all because of a _fish. _Luffy had survived poisoning, a buster call and God knows what else. The fact that he could be done in by an overgrown guppy seemed unreal. Chopper had let them into the infirmary to see him now. His bedridden state was even more shocking. He was lying on his back, his arms parallel to his body. There was a series of IVs snaking up his arms. The man's chest and leg was heavily bandaged. All the while, he looked hauntingly serene. It just…wasn't right. Luffy should have been up and running, screaming for meat. The crew fought with conflicting emotions and questions.

The initial reactions contained worry and uncertainty. What would happen if an enemy ship came? How would they protect Luffy and fight at the same time? Could they defeat them without Luffy's guidance and encouragement? What would they do if Luffy didn't wake up? Who was in charge while he was out of commission? Would things go back to normal as soon as he came out of the coma?

Then the uncertainty and concern boiled into anger. Why did the idiot have to be done in by a stupid fish? Was he really that careless? Were Zoro and Sanji to blame as well? Even if he woke up in good health, would he be okay after Nami or the other Strawhats pummeled him for worrying them?

The anger didn't last long and it soon evaporated into a soft chorus of sighs and murmurs. Together, they decided that moping at his bedside all day long wouldn't help them in the slightest. As first mate, Zoro eventually agreed to temporarily act as captain. Reluctantly, of course. He would rather be napping instead of making decisions. Secretly, it bothered him to no end to be treated like the captain when Luffy was still alive.

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Ace and Sabo looked down at their brother with a bit of sympathy. However, they shooed away the emotion as quickly as it came. They knew Luffy, and they knew very well that he wouldn't accept pity from anyone. The two men slid down on the grass to form a circle. They sat Indian-style, trying to figure out what to do next.

A wide smile spread over Sabo's face and he gave Luffy a slap on the back. "Well, hey! Things aren't all bad. We're all together again. Just like when we were kids."

"Yeah! We're even in the forest we grew up in," Ace pointed out with a halfhearted smile.

It was true. Luffy felt his lips fighting back a smile. His emotions betrayed him and the grin spread across his face. This place brought back a lot of memories. He hadn't been here in ages, but he knew it like the back of his hand. This was the forest he grew up in. It was in this very patch of trees that he had gained his sworn brothers. Even though it killed himself inside to admit it, he knew that he wasn't invincible in the slightest. He may have been bulletproof, but he couldn't run away from death. The Strawhat captain's grin faded into a pout. If this was the way it had to be, at least he would be with Ace and Sabo again.

Although he had gotten over both of his brother's deaths, seeing them in front of him brought back a whole slew of emotions he'd been suppressing. No matter how much he tried to push the memories aside, they still haunted him. He would still have nightmares about Ace dying in his arms. He still regretted not helping Sabo when he was little. But now, those feelings were finally out in the open. As they hit the air, it felt as though they evaporated. Luffy was happy.

"I don't feel dead," he said after a few moments of silence. The Strawhat captain brought his attention to his hands, balling them into fists. There was blood trickling down from the tips of his fingers, pooling his palms. Sabo noticed the crimson gathering in his hands and tilted his head to the side.

"You bleeding, Luffy?" asked the gap-toothed man. He acted as if he hadn't seen blood in ages.

"Yeah," the youngest of the sworn brothers answered bluntly. "My chest and leg still hurt too. But there are no cuts. Weird."

The two eldest stared at each other, wide-eyed. Then they instantly flicked their gaze towards Luffy. Huge grins spread over their faces.

"You haven't died just yet, Luffy! There's still some hope."

The exclamation caused his onyx eyes to widen. A fluttery feeling encompassed his chest. _He still had a chance. _There was hope that he could see his nakama again. He could still become the Pirate King.

"But… there is one problem," Sabo spoke up. Luffy's joy was temporarily put on hold as he stared at his brother in a confused stupor.

_To be continued..._

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**Cliffhangers! My best friend, and your worst enemy.**

**The ~ADVENTURE~ will be revealed in the next chapter. I'm making this up as I go along, but I know what I want to happen. I'm going to try and get a chapter posted everyday. I'll work hard for ya. B)**


	3. Chapter 3: In Limbo

**Chapter 3: In Limbo**

**Disclaimer: One Piece is not mine. Derp.**

**Song of the Day: Kill the Messenger by Jack's Mannequin**

"A problem?" Luffy cocked his head. His expression was slightly puzzled with an undertone of frustration.

"Well, this world, the afterlife, is virtually a mirror of the living world. When people die, they return here to their birthplace or a place that held the most importance in their life," Sabo started to explain.

"Ahh…so it's a mystery world," Luffy said thoughtfully.

"Wha-? Uh… precisely! Same old Luffy," he laughed. Ace couldn't help but chuckle. "Anyways, when people pass away and come here, they sort of become numb? You can't really die when you're dead. So pain is pretty nonexistent here. The fact that you still feel pain is a good sign that your body is still hanging in there!"

"Ne… So what's the problem?" Luffy frowned.

"The problem is," Ace started to explain this time, "That we have to find your body in order to return you to it!"

"What? But we're all the way in the East Blue. I was sailing in the New World," Luffy cried out, flailing his arms around.

"Well… since this world is a mirror. Then your ship should be sailing in the New World, and your body should be on it," Ace thought aloud, putting a finger to his lip. "Luckily, there's an easier way to get to the New World instead of sailing here."

Luffy hugged his knees and pursed his lips. His mind was reeling. This was an information overload. He pouted slightly, wondering how anyone could think this much. It was far too frustrating. Still, he shoved his confusion aside temporarily and lent his ears to his older brothers, hoping to pick something up out of the conversation. Sabo spoke up next, tilting his hat to the side and grinning.

"There are 'portals' here, if you could call them that. They won't take us directly to your ship, but they can take us to one of the beginning islands in the New World. From then on, it's up to luck," Sabo explained. He then looked expectantly at his little brother, who wore a ditzy look on his face. "Did you get any of that?"

The Strawhat captain balled his fists and looked up. The aura of sadness that had previously surrounded him wore off and was replaced with a rejuvenated hope. He flashed his teeth in a huge grin.

"Adventure!"

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A few days had passed since the Sea King incident and Luffy's condition was virtually the same. It had fluctuated a few times over the night. There would be times that he seemed as if he was getting better. Then, as the Strawhats silently cheered for his good health, it would decline again and Chopper would rush them out of the room so he could provide treatment.

The upbeat attitude of the Thousand Sunny seemed to be in a comatose state as well. The Strawhats never realized how much Luffy brought them together until now. Usopp fished alone and his stories went untold. Chopper spent most of the day reading his medical books and keeping a watchful eye over his captain. Robin continued reading, but the haunting silence distracted her focus. Sanji found that without a gluttonous mouth to feed, there was an excess of leftovers. Regardless, he spent most of his time in the kitchen. Nami seemed more distant, and spent her time staring out at the sea, just keeping them on track. Brooke's melodies were now somewhat mournful. Franky was unusually quiet and usually kept to himself in his workshop. And Zoro? Zoro had barely slept since the whole incident.

The green-haired swordsman often stuck by Luffy's side, allowing Chopper to go out and relax every once in a while. He would join the crew for meals and made decisions when needed. He and Sanji had even ceased to fight as much. Everything was wrong and out of place. Without their childish, upbeat captain, the Strawhats felt like they were falling apart. The only thing that kept them going was the hope that Luffy would open his eyes soon. The sun was lazily falling back into the horizon as Sanji called out for dinner. The crew, who usually rushed in before Luffy could steal their plates, leisurely made their way to the dining hall.

"How's Luffy, Chopper?" Usopp asked between chewing. The question was one that they were all looking forward to. The tiny doctor looked up.

"His condition keeps changing. And his wounds are healing slower than usual… The injury on his chest started bleeding again last night," Chopper said in the most professional tone he could muster. In all honesty, it was killing him to see Luffy this way. But right now, the crew was depending on him. He couldn't show weakness. The Strawhats frowned.

"I'm going to kick that little punk so hard when he wakes up," Sanji threatened half-heartedly. His words were filled with regret though. He couldn't help but feel somewhat responsible for not keeping the Sea King from attacking.

"And I'm going to knock him over the head," Nami agreed.

"…I hope he wakes up soon. I'm worried," Usopp admitted after a long silence. The crew frowned and nodded thoughtfully. Zoro walked in the door just then to switch places with Chopper. The tiny doctor hopped up and trotted out towards the infirmary.

"You shouldn't be worried. Luffy would be angry to see all of you moping around. So pull yourselves together. He'll wake up sooner or later," he said as he poured a bowl full of Sanji's potato soup. "Luffy is the man who will become pirate king. He doesn't need worry."

The crew was simply astounded by Zoro's faith in their captain. Their heads seemed to temporarily hang in shame. However, a quick semi-glare from Zoro reminded them that they needed to cheer up. This was _Luffy _they were talking about. He'd refuse to die even if his heart was ripped out and thrown away. The crew forced grins onto their faces. It was easy to smile, but it's hard to put meaning to it. They'd work on that step later.

"Yeah! When Luffy wakes up we can-"

Usopp's sentence abruptly came to a stop as the little reindeer doctor slammed the door open. His face was filled with terror and a dark aura began to fill the room. The word that came from his lips wiped the smiles off of everyone's faces. Even Zoro's mouth dropped open in shock.

"…MARINES!"

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Luffy clenched his chest in pain as he trekked along the mountainside with his brothers. They were on their way to the 'New World' portal so they could begin their journey. The Strawhat captain stopped briefly at the rear of the pack. A trickle of blood escaped from his lips and he quickly wiped it away before his brothers could notice.

"You okay, Lu?" Ace said. Luffy frowned, realizing he'd been figured out. The boy wiped the blood off on his shirt and skipped up to walk between Ace and Sabo. The pain suddenly subsided and he felt a rush of nostalgia hit him head on. He'd forgotten how good it felt to have family.

"I just got this feeling like something bad is happening," Luffy shrugged. "It's okay! The pain means I'm still alive, right?"

"Exactly," Sabo smiled. A bit of sympathy filled his eyes.

"Anyways, let's hurry up! We have an adventure to go on," Luffy yelled, bolting ahead and leaving his brothers in a cloud of dust. The two older men looked at each other for an instant before chasing after him.

"WAIT, LUFFY! You don't even know where you're going!"

_To be continued..._

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**Still torturing you guys with cliffhangers, keke. u3u 3**

**So we end this chapter with Luffy being Luffy. ****Anyways, so far my goal of updating everyday is going well! Lucky you~**

**Ghostofmoonlight: Thanks for your reviews! :D Sabo would be around the same age as Luffy and Ace in this story.**

**It'd be kind of awkward having an 8-year-old**** running around with two adults! So for convenience's sake, I just had him grow older.**

**SilverRainFalls: Not exactly! Luffy can only return to his body because he's not completely gone. Ace and Sabo have passed**

**away, so even if they did return to their bodies they'd be gross zombies! Or we'd have two new 'Brookes' on the Strawhat crew!**

**BrokenBridges: You hit the nail on the head! :) I'm glad you're satisfied enough to come back hehe! :3**

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_**Until tomorrow! Enjoy~!**_


	4. Chapter 4: The Ocean's Curse

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**Chapter 4: The Ocean's Curse**

**Disclaimer: One Piece is not mine.**

**Song of the Day: Rangers by A Fine Frenzy**

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Luffy blindly trotted in the first direction of his choice. Every time his foot connected with the ground, a sharp pain radiated through his limbs. It was bothersome, but never before had the Strawhat captain ever been so happy to feel pain. It meant that he still had a chance to be with his nakama. He could only hope they'd wait for him a little bit longer.

The Strawhat captain closed his eyes to make room on his face for his huge grin. He hadn't heard his brothers' warning calls until it was too late. The raven-haired man had in_geniously _navigated himself towards a cliff stretching over the sea (Nami would have been proud.) As his foot touched the tip of the rock and he flailed his arms wildly, trying to stop, the cliff crumbled beneath him. Luffy yelped as he fell towards the frothy waves beneath him. In a frenzied attempt to save himself, he stretched his arm out, hoping to grab onto the edge.

Just then, he realized that something was strange. As he thrust his arm forward, it simply stopped and stayed in place. Soon the salty waves engulfed him. A mouthful of brine filled his nostrils and he thrashed around. Usually, Sanji or Zoro would have saved him by now, but the oddest part was… he didn't _need _saving. After a minute of struggling, the Strawhat captain's head surfaced above the waves and he was floating. Suddenly, the terrifying, dark ocean didn't feel threatening to him anymore. He looked up in confusion to see Ace and Sabo peering down at him, obviously amused.

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"Marines? Of all times," Nami shrieked in frustration.

As the news arrived, each of the Strawhats quickly shoved aside their dinner plates and assumed their positions on the deck. Three marine ships had begun tailing them. This was the first time a decision had to be made without Luffy. Fight or flight? The crew looked to Zoro for their answer. Annoyance consumed his facial features along with another unusual emotion that the swordsman rarely felt. Was he nervous…?

"Chopper! Go to the infirmary and watch over Luffy. If you need to, protect him with your life," he instructed the tiny reindeer. His green gaze then focused on the rest of the crew. "Nami, try to navigate us out of here. Do we have enough cola for a coup de vent, Franky?"

"Eh? I'll go check," the cyborg replied and rushed away.

Nami gathered the remaining crewmates around her and began barking orders. Looking back, the Marines seemed to be gaining on them. The Thousand Sunny was still a good distance away, but if they didn't pick up the pace soon, their luck would run out. A large crack split the air, followed by a splash. The first warning shot had been fired.

"Surrender yourself, Straw Hats!"

The crew largely ignored the call. Their minds were stuck in flight mode. The crew could not afford to have enemies aboard the ship, not with their captain in such terrible shape. If the marines knew about Luffy, every fleet in the area would hunt them down. The fact that one of the Monster Trio had been cut down to the Monster Duo wasn't a good statistic either.

"We're one barrel short of a coup de burst, Zoro," Franky announced, emerging from below the deck. He barely had time to blink before Nami urged him to help.

"Shit," Zoro hissed to himself.

"We're going to head into that fog, Zoro," Nami called out, breaking his train of though.

The swordsman turned to lay his eyes upon a thick, milky patch of cloud covering the ocean. He let out a brief sigh of relief. Even though their captain was out of commission, it seemed as though his devilish luck still remained with them. After dodging a slew of cannonballs, the Thousand Sunny penetrated the mist.

It was as thick as pea soup. The crew struggled to see each other, let alone their pursuers. Their worry seemed to vanish, however. With a navigator like Nami, this weather was a piece of cake. Even in their current state, an escape was insured. After a few minutes of eerie quiet, the orange-haired woman had guided them through to the other side.

Sighs echoed over the deck as the creamy starlight shone down upon their ship. They had successfully shaken the marines off of their tails. Now, they simply had to keep it that way. The Straw Hats stood upon the deck, trying to enjoy the chill night air while they still could. Nami had guided them towards a patch of rocks, where they dropped anchor for the night. Here, they would be hidden more easily from enemy ships. Usually after a triumphant escape, the crewmembers would be merrily dancing around, doing kanpai or laughing. But instead, silence crept over the deck. It was to be expected, but Zoro did find it slightly discouraging. If possible, the swordsman respected his captain even more now.

As the rest of the Strawhats headed into their sleeping quarters, Zoro instead meandered over to the infirmary. They had yet to retrieve the doctor, and the swordsman agreed to check on him while the other's rested. As he opened the door of the sick bay, he saw the tiny reindeer standing at the edge of Luffy's bed. His fur was sticking out every here and there. Rivulets of tears streamed down the small doctor's face. Zoro realized he must have been holding it in for days now.

Slowly, the swordsman walked up to the reindeer and set a hand on his shoulder. He wasn't very good at comforting people. He was good at cutting things, drinking sake and sleeping. That was another thing that Luffy seemed to hold over the swordsman. Even if unintentional, the moronic man had an infectious grin. Just being around him could make a person feel lighter. The reindeer looked up at the swordsman and hurriedly wiped the tears away from his eyes, regaining his composure.

"You go sleep. I'll watch over him. If anything changes, I'll wake you up," Zoro assured the doctor with as much tenderness as he could muster. It was harder than he thought.

"O-ok!" the reindeer briefly agreed before trotting out of the room, obviously embarrassed that he had been caught in the act.

Zoro sighed and pulled up a chair besides Luffy's bed. Slumping down, he cast a gaze over the man's body. For the moment, he looked like an average, 19-year-old man. Looking at him now, it would be hard to believe that this same body had infiltrated both of the world's top prisons and taken down countless enemies. The swordsman sighed and shook his head. Insecurities began to cloud his mind. It was a strange sensation for the otherwise confident man. Luffy had saved him from execution and Zoro had spent the past two years of his life growing stronger just for his captain. If the raven-haired man didn't pull through this, he didn't know what he would do. Could he take over as captain? Or would the Straw Hats slowly die without him?

* * *

A wave crashed over Luffy's shoulders, momentarily engulfing him before he felt buoyancy take effect and push him up to the surface. The Strawhat man furiously pumped his legs, trying to keep himself afloat. He wasn't exactly _swimming, _but he wasn't sinking either. He cocked his head in bewilderment. The boy had only just realized that he couldn't stretch anymore. In fact, now that he thought of it, Ace wasn't on fire anymore either.

"Devil Fruit powers don't transfer over to this world, Luffy," Sabo shouted over the edge.

Luffy pulled his cheek outward. …_Ouch. _It was true. His Devil Fruit powers were gone along with his curse. The Strawhat captain treaded water, quietly thinking to himself. Slowly, he had begun to get a hold of moving in the water. The feeling of the sea surrounding him was strange. Before, whenever he fell into the ocean, terror rushed through him. But now, the water felt… nice.

"Hurry up and get out of there, Luffy. Then we can go the _right _direction," Ace chuckled.

The Strawhat captain pushed forward in the water. His head slipped under and he thrashed around until he was back on the surface. The shore was a bit closer now. Once more he pushed forward. He tried to remember how his nakama swam and applied it to himself. He let his legs float up behind him and gave them a strong kick, imagining he was fighting with the water. Then, he brought an arm forward and cut through the water. Slowly, he was making progress. A smile slowly crept over his face.

"I'm _swimming!" _he cried out to himself. A rush of salty water flooded into his mouth to silence him.

Luffy continued to kick his legs and paddle through the water. Within seconds, he found himself climbing out onto the rocky shore. With his hands on his hips, he looked behind him, observing the distance that he had just covered. For once, he had saved himself. With an aura of pride, he trekked up the rocky slope and found Sabo desperately trying to wake Ace from one of his narcoleptic fits.

He let out a brief string of laughter and plopped down in the grass. Ace slowly came out of his sleep and yelled at Sabo for shaking him so much. Luffy couldn't contain his smile. His heart felt light, lighter than it had ever felt before. He was sitting with his brothers on the island he called his home. And he had just _swum. _Sure, he wasn't rubber and he didn't have his nakama but… Maybe this wasn't so bad…

The Strawhat captain looked over the sea. The waves had been dyed a brilliant orange. Suddenly, Luffy imagined himself to be sitting on the Sunny's head. He closed his eyes and fantasized his whole crew cheering with Sabo and Ace in their ranks. With that concept running through his head, he suddenly felt a heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't have both. He bit into his lip as a harsh realization set it. In the end, he would have to choose.

**

* * *

**

**The Strawhat crew manages to escape this time, BUT WILL THEY BE ABLE TO PULL IT OFF AGAIN? Introducing conflict~**

**Ace, Sabo and Luffy's adventures officially start next chapter! I'm working my ass off trying to update everyday, so all of these lovely reviews really help encourage a girl! Hope you guys continue to enjoy this story!**

**GhostoftheMoonlight: ****There will most definitely be some baddies in this world. But I can't say if they'll be from the past. I don't think Luffy has killed many of his past enemies. Maybe Arlong? But I do plan on introducing some others that have passed away! :D**

**slycooperfangirl4: ****Haha, glad you're enjoying! :3**

**SilverRainFalls:**** Yep! :D He's following his "INSTINCT." Glad you're enjoying! (:**

**-ie: Ahh. The ever-so-tempting meat. xD ACTUALLY, this review gave me an idea for the next chapter! Thank you for unknowingly inspiring me! : D**

**P.S. The document editor has been acting weird lately! So if you notice any mistakes, please point them out! FF is being a meany. :c**


	5. Chapter 5: Sabaody Archipelago

**Chapter 5: Sabaody Archipelago**

**Disclaimer: One Piece isn't mine.**

**Song of the Day: You're Gonna Go Far, Kid by The Offspring**

* * *

"Alright! Let's get going before we wander off track again," Ace said, shooting a quick glare at Sabo, still angry for being shaken so much.

"Aye!" the two remaining brothers exclaimed in unison. They smiled at each other and set off into the forest once more. Ace led, followed by Sabo and Luffy who were chatting up a storm. The brothers were more than happy to be together again, even if the situations were undesirable. They were determined to make the most of their precious time together.

"-and then we floated down on a giant octopus!" Luffy explained to Sabo ecstatically. He lifted his arms out to the sides to emphasize his point. It would have been easier if he was still rubber, but surprisingly, he didn't mind much.

"Whatt? No way. Stop making up lies, Lu!" Sabo scoffed, backhanding the raven-haired boy. Luffy pouted and held his head in pain. _That_, he did mind!

"I'm serious. I'm always serious," Luffy insisted.

"What's your crew like anyway, Luffy?" Sabo interrogated, smiling. Ace had slackened his pace and the three brothers were walking side-by-side. Luffy seemed more than happy to share his adventures with the two men. When his nakama were brought up, his grin grew ever wider.

"They're awesome! Zoro is a swordsman with mossy hair. And my chef is Sanji. He has curly eyebrows. Then there's Nami! She's my navigator, but she's scary. Usopp has a really long nose, and he's a liar," Luffy blathered, his mouth hardly fast enough to keep up with his thoughts. "Chopper is our doctor. He's a reindeer but he looks like a raccoon. But don't say that to him, he'll get mad. Robin is an archaeologist! She's nice and can grow her hands everywhere! Then there's Franky, our shipwright. He's a cyborg. So cooll! And most importantly, we have a skeleton musician who likes panties. His name is Brooke!"

Luffy grinned from ear to ear as he rambled on about his nakama. As he finished up, Sabo burst into laughter and smiled widely.

"You've gotten more crew members since I last saw them. Eh, Luffy?" said Ace, as he spoke up.

"Yeah! We've gone on lots more adventures too," Luffy explained. A twinge of sadness tugged at his heart, but the raven-haired man ignored it. He didn't have time to be sad when he was with his brothers.

Suddenly, the cover of trees gave way to sky. Luffy gazed around in awe as he laid eyes on the harbor. They were in Foosha Village. Nostalgia flooded his body and he unconsciously moved his hand up to his straw hat. This was where he had met Shanks! He wanted to run into the bar to meet Makino, but realized that she wouldn't be there anyway. Expectantly, he looked up at Ace, waiting for further instruction. The freckled man noticed and pointed off towards a dock. Luffy followed his brother's finger with his gaze. The dock stretched out into the ocean, but instead of boats, there were strange wells emerging from the water.

"We can get to the Grandline from there. I think there's a portal to Shabaody Archipelago there. That should be somewhat close to your ship, right?" Ace prompted.

"Yeah! We left there about a week or two ago," Luffy nodded. He cautiously set foot onto the wooden dock and peered over the edge. The 'wells' were like nothing he had seen before. They looked as if they were filled with average water, but a brilliant reflection shone in each one. One 'well' in particular caught his attention: a green, tree-covered island with bubbles rising everywhere.

"Alright! Are you ready, guys?" Sabo asked, breaking the silence. Before they could answer, he jumped in. Luffy watched in wonder as the man's body was engulfed in the watery substance. Ace went in second, leaving Luffy at the end of the pack. Brimming with excitement, the Strawhat captain dove in. A warm sensation enveloped his body as the sky over Foosha Town slowly disappeared.

* * *

"C'mon, Luffy… Wake up, you shitty captain," Sanji groaned, waving a piece of meat over the captain's face. It was no use.

"Quit it, dartboard," Zoro hissed halfheartedly. He was in no mood to fight; however tempting it was. Sanji obviously felt the same and slumped down into a chair beside Zoro's. He set the untouched meat on the table near Luffy's bedside and sighed. No matter how many times either of the men looked at his unconscious body, it was just as disturbing and depressing each time.

The captain's body seemed to be deteriorating. Chopper had made sure that his wounds were tended to and that he was fed through an IV, but there wasn't enough liquid food in the world to satisfy Luffy, even if he _was _comatose. His already skinny body seemed to become thinner.

"What will we do if another enemy ship comes and we can't escape this time…?" Sanji asked abruptly. Zoro seemed surprised. The love cook brought a cigarette up to his lips and lit it before taking a long drag.

"We'll manage," he said softly, "We'll have to. We may be missing a key part, but we're still strong."

"Yeah, I guess. But a chicken can only run around with its head cut off for so long," Sanji sighed. "How do you think the others are managing?"

"Chopper's still pretty upset. He was to look at him all day, after all," Zoro mumbled, "it's sorta like the world got turned upside down. Usopp told the truth the other day. And Nami, god help us, even forgave me for accidentally ruining a piece of her map paper without raising my debt."

Sanji snorted. "I wonder what this idiot is up to in his dreamland or whatever…"

Zoro lifted his head drowsily and gazed over the body. He hadn't thought about it until now. "I don't know."

The blonde got up suddenly and pushed the chair away. "Well… I'll go get lunch ready. Thanks for wasting a few minutes of my life, damn marimo," he growled as he headed out the door. The words were hollow and Zoro realized that, in his own strange way, the chef was thanking him…maybe. Zoro sighed and leaned farther back into his chair. He cast a sad gaze at his captain.

"Where _are _you, Luffy…? We need you back here, you moron."

* * *

"Wow...this is... so _COOL_," Luffy cried out, starry-eyed.

The minute his feet connected with the green landscape of Sabaody, he was mystified. The mystery well (as he had dubbed it,) had successfully transported the brothers to the island. It was exactly like the living world's version, except for a few subtle differences. By the time they had landed on the island, the sun had already been replaced by the full moon.

"Alright! How about we rest for the night and set off first thing in the morning?"

The suggestion came from Ace, who was standing a foot away from Luffy. Sabo was leaning against a tree, overlooking the two.

"Where are we gonna sleep? We don't have any money," Sabo reminded them. He turned his pockets inside out to prove his point. Ace looked momentarily discouraged. It faded away within an instant as an idea came into mind.

"Let's just camp out! Like when we were kids," he suggested, his voice brimming with warm nostalgia.

"Yeah! We can have a campfire too, right?" Luffy asked eagerly. He bounced on the heels of his feet, feeling like a child again.

With that, the brothers wandered off t o a vacant area a short distance away from the docks and set up their camp. A pile of discarded sticks and dry brush soon became a makeshift fire. Sabo had stolen a few fish for their dinner, and twirled them carefully over the fire to cook them. They shared stories about their adventures and laughed heartily as they warmly curled around the blaze. As the moon reached its peak, the brothers finally sprawled out over the soft earth and fell into the clutches of sleep.

…

"Luffy! Wake up, we're leaving," Sabo shouted suddenly.

The black-haired man's eyes bolted open as he felt his older brother grab his collar and drag him across the ground. He let out a few growls of disapproval before clambering up to his feet and bolting alongside his brother. Slowly, his mind began working again and he realized Ace wasn't with them. That… and there was a small mob of angry people tailing them. Luffy grinned sheepishly. He had been in situations like this more times than he could count. It felt bizarrely familiar and comforting. He may not be a wanted pirate in this world, but he still knew how to get into trouble!

"Where's Ace?"

"He stole a boat for us! We're gonna meet him at the docks," his older brother explained, flashing a grin at him. He turned his attention back to the front, straining his eyes against the sunlight. "There he is! He's already set off, so we'll just have to swim after him. Can you handle that?"

"Shishishi," Luffy snickered happily before answering his brother's question. "Yosh!"

The Strawhat captain bolted forward with excitement, straight into the ocean. The unfamiliar sensation of the waves crashing against his skin greeted him once more and he swam as fast as he could until he reached the ship. Ace grabbed his hand and pulled him the rest of the way. Sabo was the last to board. Shouts of anger were heard from the shore, slowly fading into inaudible grumbles as they gave up and retreated back to the village. Luffy grinned widely. The ship wasn't anything special, definitely nothing like the Thousand Sunny. It was a small boat reminiscent to the one he had sailed in before the Going Merry. Luffy brought himself up to his feet and settled himself at the front of the boat.

"Zoro! Nami! Usopp! Sanji! Robin! Franky! Brooke! Wait for me a little longer, guys! I'm coming!"

_To be continued…_

* * *

**This chapter's not as good as I wanted it to be! I'm feeling a bit on the sick side today, so I'll make up for it with tomorrow's chapter. I'm excited to get farther into the story~**

**Ghostofthemoonlight: Haha thanks! I'll try not to work too hard. X3 It'd be pretty hard to write with an exploded brain! :c**

**TheSilverCircle: Wooo! I'm so glad you like it! :D I've had this story idea stuck in the back of my mind for a while now, so I'm really excited to get it down in words and share it with you guys!**

**A special thanks to -ie this chapter for the meat bit. x3**


	6. Chapter 6: The Calm Before

**Chapter 6: The Calm Before**

**Disclaimer: One Piece is not mine.**

**Song of the Day: Little Brutes by The Hoosiers**

***Before we move on, I would like to make some quick notes about the story. The flow of time in the afterworld is skewered. So a week in the living world may be only a day in the afterworld. Therefore, seeing as Luffy and his brother's have only been adventuring for about half a day, about half a week has gone by for the Strawhats.***

* * *

"I don't think the Sunny has ever been this quiet for so long," Nami thought aloud, sipping her tea quietly. "I don't like it…"

"No one has the energy to make noise," Robin agreed.

The two sat quietly at the dining table, flipping through the newspaper and picking at the teacakes that Sanji had set out for him. He had been cooking a lot more lately. Everyone figured that it was his way of letting his emotions out, seeing as he couldn't vent by sending Luffy flying across the deck. The newspaper didn't say anything interesting. There was a story about a new tax, but nothing that concerned them.

"Thank God that they don't know that Luffy is injured," Nami said after pushing the newspaper aside and leaning back in her chair. "The bounty on our crew already makes us susceptible, but if they knew about Luffy… we'd have swarms of ships after us."

"Yes, I'm surprised that we've only had the marines after us once since this whole incident," Robin sighed, nodding.

"I can't believe it's been 4 days since it happened," Nami sighed. "To think that the terrifying "Straw Hat" Luffy would be done in by a stupid fish."

"We all slip up sometimes, Navigator-san," Robin pointed out.

"That's true… but he's in dreamland while all the rest of us are going through hell! Did we always depend on him this much…? It's not fair," the orange-haired woman huffed. A frown crept across her lips. "If he doesn't make it through this… what if his last memory of me is just a money-loving demon?"

Robin smiled sympathetically and gently patted the navigator's back with a Hana Hana arm. The comfort was short-lived when the hilt of a sword gently hit the navigator in the back of the head.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to talk like that?" Zoro hissed. "Really… has Luffy ever let us down before?"

Nami looked at the swordsman thoughtfully and forced herself to smile. "No, I guess you're right."

"Damn right. Have a little faith, she-witch," the swordsman said loudly.

"Oi! Leave Nami-swan alone, marimo," Sanji growled, kicking the door open.

"No, it's okay, Sanji! Really," Nami assured him. Surprisingly, she agreed with the bull-headed swordsman this time. "Anyways… what should we do? We're running low on provisions. We can't just float here forever. We need to visit an island soon."

"Navigator-san has a point," Robin agreed.

"But… it seems like everytime we go to an island, trouble follows," Nami added, giving Zoro and Sanji an accusing look. "We need Luffy's condition to stay a secret for now."

"We'll just have to risk it for now," Zoro sighed, rubbing his eyes. Dark circles had formed from the lack of sleep. Between watching over Luffy and taking guard at night, he hardly had time to sleep. Even when he wanted to sleep, it just didn't come. "Chopper will stay with Luffy to watch over him…and I'll guard the ship while you shop. It'll have to be quick though."

Nami observed the log pose on her wrist. It was pointed to the east.

"Alright, let's get going then."

The Strawhats hurriedly assumed their stations, preparing to set off. After about an hour of sailing, they had docked on a fall island. The crisp breeze whisked against the pirates' skin. There was a small town near the harbor. Fruit stands and butcher shops were scattered about, along with a small general store. The Strawhats huddled together in a circle, nervously awaiting orders. They were still hesitant about leaving their captain so vulnerable.

"Nami and Sanji, go out and get food supplies," Zoro instructed carefully. He then turned his eyes to Usopp and Chopper. "Chopper, tell Usopp what you need for medical supplies. You'll have to stay here in case Luffy's condition worsens though. Robin, you can gather information about the next island."

The mentioned pirates nodded. Zoro turned to Brooke and Franky.

"You two stay here. We don't want to attract attention, and I would be contradicting myself to send a walking, afro-wearing skeleton and a cyborg into the town," he said. "You'll stay around the ship with me."

The group scattered and the Thousand Sunny fell silent again. Zoro noted how much he was beginning to hate the peace and quiet. He decided to polish his swords, seeing as he was still having trouble sleeping. As he finished the last of his swords, restlessness took over. The swordsman paced around the deck and eventually found himself at the door of the infirmary.

* * *

"Ahh… I'm bored," Luffy moaned as he hung off the side of the ship.

Ace had fallen into a narcoleptic fit and was pleasantly sprawled out over the bottom of the ship. Sabo was sitting up front, trying to keep them on course. Luffy skimmed his fingers over the surface of the surface of the water.

"Aren't there any Sea Kings around here? I can kick their asses," the Strawhat captain asked, fire in his eyes. It felt like it had been forever since he got in a good fight, which he thought was weird, seeing as he'd only been with Ace and Sabo for a day now.

"Nope. The Grand Line is actually pretty calm here," Sabo explained, focusing on the log pose he had stolen.

"Woah! Really?" Luffy implored, cocking his head. He then realized that calm waters meant little to no fights and proceeded to flop onto the deck of the ship. The Strawhat captain pouted, staring off into the sky. The clouds drifted by tranquilly and seemed to dance in the sunlight. He looked forward to getting to the next island, but for now, he just had to wait. The warmth of the sun felt good on his skin. He smiled slightly. He felt refreshed and peaceful.

Refreshed and peaceful… The smile faded and a sense of urgency was introduced to his eyes. The raven-haired man sat up and brought his hand to his mouth. In the next moment, he bit down hard. Blood gushed from the wound and spilled out on the wooden floor of the boat. The liquid garnet stained his lips and he stifled a small cry of pain.

"O-oi, Luffy! What the hell!" Sabo cried out.

"Nngg… Gahh, why'd you splash me?" Ace whined groggily. When he noticed that the moisture on his arm was blood and not seawater, he cocked his head in confusion. "Wha? Blood?"

"Sorry," Luffy apologized. His words held little to no sincerity. "I couldn't feel anything, so I got worried."

"Ahh… It's just like you to do something stupid like that, Luffy!" Ace said, lightly slapping the back of his brother's head. "You could have just pinched yourself or something."

"Oh! I guess I could have," Luffy exclaimed.

"You never change, Luffy," Sabo grumbled as he tore off a piece of his sleeve to wrap around the wound. The fabric turned red almost instantly, but the bleeding eventually let up.

"You can paint spots on a zebra, but you can never get rid of its stripes," Ace sighed groggily, tempted to fall asleep again.

"'The hell are you talking about?"

"S-shut up! I was trying to sound profound," Ace retaliated.

"Just go back to sleep," Sabo advised him.

As his two older brothers bickered behind him, Luffy settles himself at the front of the ship and squinted his eyes against the sunlight. As a dark silhouette appeared on the horizon, he let out an excited cry and turned back to his brothers. "Look! Loook! There's land!"

* * *

"That's weird…"

Zoro lazily pushed open the door as he heard Chopper's voice. There was a bewildered tone to it.

"What's weird?" he asked curiously. The little reindeer doctor was leaning over Luffy's bedside, holding his hand in his hooves. Chopper jumped a little when he heard the gruff voice of the swordsman. He hadn't noticed him there. The furry doctor held up Luffy's hand.

"There's a bruise here. It's almost like something bit him," he explained. He traced the purple marks with his hoof. "But no one could have bit him. I surely didn't… Did you?"

"Why would I bite Luffy?" Zoro wasn't sure whether he should laugh or be offended. He settled for the first option. However, the mark in question was curious. It was, as Luffy would have put it, a _mystery _bruise. "It's just a bruise though, so it shouldn't be anything serious… right?"

"Yeah… It's just weird," Chopper squeaked. He returned Luffy's hand to his side and resumed his tests.

The room was silent save for the shuffling of papers and… an unfamiliar scuffling sound. The swordsman stiffened with suspicion and looked around the infirmary. It was tidy, so it wasn't long before he spotted the dark, hairy figure peeking out from behind the desk. Normally, he wouldn't be threatened by such a small creature, but as he watched the rat observe his captain carefully, his stomach sunk. It acted too human-like to be a simple rat! He'd seen his fair share of vermin before, and this one screamed 'Zoan.'

"Who the hell are you?" Zoro snapped, lunging forward as he tried to grab the creature. When that failed, he unsheathed his sword. Chopper jumped up, fur ruffled.

"Uwahh! Zoro, be careful," he warned. He finally noticed the fleeing hairball. "Huh? That's not a normal rat!"

"Chichichi, well _this_ is interesting," the rat hissed as it barely evaded the swordsman's blade. It squeezed underneath the door and scurried onto the deck.

Zoro slammed the door and chased the vermin outside, desperately trying to capture it. The rat seemed to be skilled in fleeing however, and dodged with ease. He skidded to a stop as the intruder jumped overboard and skittered away into town, soon becoming lost in the crowd. The swordsman hung over the railing of the Thousand Sunny and cursed to himself. If his suspicions were correct, then their captain's condition wouldn't be confidential for long. Just then Usopp and Robin returned from town. He turned to them.

"Usopp! Robin! Find Sanji and Nami and bring them back here. We have to leave _now!"_

_To be continued..._

* * *

**So I found out that I tend to write best at midnight! I couldn't sleep so I brought out my laptop and started typing away. I also started working on a concept for an AU fic after I finish this one! c: **

**BTW, the mouse guy is just a filler character. Consider him a ~PIRATE SPY.~ Because really, if you could turn into a rat, spying would be an awesome job choice.**

**Anways…what should you expect for the next chapter? The Strawhats face trouble and Ace, Sabo and Luffy act like idiots and get into a shitload of trouble (but really, when do they not?)!**

**TheSilverCircle: Haha yes! Meat is a super food. B) Thank you! **

**-ie: Thank you! And you're welcome for replying! Reviews are like my drug, so I like to let people know that I appreciate them. c:**

**VLS: Thank you!**


	7. Chapter 7: Attack

**Chapter 7: Attack**

**Disclaimer: One Piece is not mine.**

**Song of the Day: Misguided Ghosts by Paramore**

* * *

"How did this happen?"

Nami slammed the paper onto the dining table violently. Zoro snatched up the packet and read the headline. In bold, black letters were the words: "**"Straw Hat" Luffy Has Fallen?" **The swordsman crashed his fist into the wooden table, causing his nakama to jump. He cast the paper aside and rested his face in his palm, shaking his head.

"I'll kill that damn rat next time I see him," he growled.

"Why didn't you catch him in the first place, shitty marimo?" Sanji snarled accusingly.

"Stop it!" Nami shrieked furiously. "We could be under attack at any moment. I don't need you killing each other."

The two men glared at each other, giving up after a few moments. They let out sighs and mumbled.

"What do we do then?" Sanji grumbled in defeat.

Before the crew even had time to construct a battle plan, the door slammed open and revealed the frenzied sharpshooter with the little reindeer doctor dancing around his legs.

"Zoro! There's a ship approaching fast!" Usopp shouted. "It's a small ship but…!"

Zoro growled and rushed out onto the deck, signaling everyone to follow. Tailing the Sunny closely was a small caravel-type ship. Its Jolly Roger was a skull with horns and fangs. From the looks and size of the crew, they appeared to be rookies, trying to bring down the Straw Hats for the quick fame. The swordsman was about to sigh in relief but held his breath. It didn't matter if they were amateurs or shichibukai, they were still a threat.

"Fire the canons," Zoro commanded, "If it comes down to it, fight! Chopper, go protect Luffy!"

* * *

The sworn brothers formed a circle on the dock. Luffy bounced eagerly as he took in his surroundings. There was a crisp fall breeze running through the streets. Red and orange leaves were whisked along with the wind. The city was bustling with gossip and friendly chatter. Ace shifted a bit before giving his instructions.

"Alright. We're just here until the log pose sets and then we-"

"…and he's gone," Sabo said, pointing to the space that Luffy had occupied only moments before.

"Dammit," Ace grumbled, "He can't afford to get into any trouble now."

"It's Luffy, though! Trouble practically follows him," Sabo sighed. "Anyways, let's go find him before it's too late. If I were Luffy, where would I go…"

The eldest brothers were silent for a moment as they contemplated. After a couple seconds they looked at each other and nodded.

"I'd get food."

They were spot on. Luffy wandered blindly through the streets, following the scent of good food. Before he knew it, he had successfully guided himself into the local tavern. The Strawhat captain took a seat at the bar and impatiently demanded meat. The bartender went off to get his order. Luffy hummed eagerly as he waited.

"Hey runt," an older man growled, looming over the raven-haired man's shoulder. A younger woman was hanging onto his arm. "Let's say you move and make way for my lady, eh?"

"No," Luffy said bluntly, blankly staring at the pair. The old man gritted his teeth angrily.

"Sure about that kid?"

"Yup. I'm not moving," the Strawhat captain replied stubbornly.

"C'mon now, kid. I don't want a fight here," warned the bartender.

"I can still beat his ass," Luffy declared confidently. Small gasps rose from the crowd and tension began to build like a heavy rain cloud. The young woman who had been clinging to the old man slowly backed away and shifted uneasily.

"Why, you little…" the old man hissed. Enraged, he threw the first punch.

Luffy saw it coming and dodged with ease. With one hand, he grabbed onto his opponent's arm tightly. The other was smashed into the side of the man's face. All the while, a huge, toothy grin took its place on the raven-haired captain. The worried gasps from the crowd turned into cheers of excitement. The small town lacked action, so a bar fight was always a nice break. The old man slid backward and forced a knee into Luffy's abdomen. The Strawhat captain let loose a small yelp as pain radiated through his body. Suddenly, he remembered that he wasn't rubber anymore. Not only that, but the blow had been inflicted to his already damaged stomach. Luffy coughed up a bit of blood.

As the red liquid was ejected from his mouth, shock consumed the onlookers. They hadn't seen blood in ages. The old man, however, was too lost in the fight to care. After a quick, forced recovery, Luffy clutched his stomach and jumped backward to dodge another punch. He stumbled backwards upon landing and quickly rolled to the side to avoid another blow. Frustration enveloped his mind. Normally, this man would be defeated with ease. But with the combination of his wounded state and lack of rubber abilities, it had become increasingly harder.

Another wave of pain washed over him and his sight began to blur. His eyes widened groggily as the older man lunged again. The raven-haired man's body refused to budge. Bracing himself for the blow, Luffy squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his teeth. The expected fist never came, however. The young woman who had been with his opponent shrieked and Luffy's eyes flung open. The old man had been knocking into the side of the bar. He grumbled angrily and shot a glare at his assailants. Luffy looked up with relief to see Ace and Sabo standing valiantly over him.

"Back off," Ace hissed.

* * *

Chopper rushed into the infirmary and locked the door behind him. The remaining Straw Hats had stationed themselves onto the deck. The enemy pirates had made their way onto the ship. Zoro and Sanji had knocked down most of the weaker fighters with quick ease, and were now engaging with the first mate and the captain. The rest of the Straw Hats were now finishing off the remaining pirates. Some had fled back to their ship already, while the others shakily tried to find Luffy. Their objective was simple: finish off Luffy and as many Straw Hats as possible and gain fame. However, like most, they had underestimated the surprising strength of the crew.

The sound of clashing metal echoed over the Thousand Sunny as Zoro's battled ensued. His opponent had ended up as the captain. Zoro crossed his bladed to fend off another strike from the overgrown katana his opponent wielded. The green-haired swordsman deflected the sword and took his opponent's momentary distraction to an advantage. He quickly stepped forward and performed an Oni Giri. The enemy captain spat out blood and stumbled backwards. The swordsman scoffed as the wounded man quickly retreated. His smirk faded within an instant as he felt a sharp pain in his side. Looking down, a dagger peeked through his flesh morbidly.

"That was dirty," Usopp yelled from across the deck. He fired a flame star at Zoro's assailant and the man desperately jumped overboard to quell the flame. Soon enough, the captain of the ship wailed out and ordered his men to retreat. The Straw Hats made sure to encourage the stragglers to hurry up with a barrage of attacks.

Zoro sighed in relief as the ship quickly pulled away to retreat. The battle had been quick, and although they emerged victorious, Luffy's absence had definitely been noticeably. The swordsman panted and stumbled as a fresh gush of blood spurted from the wound in his side. He flashed back to the time he and Luffy had fought Buggy. The similarity of the situation was uncanny. He watched as the enemy ship grew smaller and disappeared into the horizon.

"Nami, try to navigate us somewhere safe. We'll anchor there," he called out.

The navigator, who had managed to get away with only a few bumps and bruises, nodded and urgently barked orders to the rest of the crew. Zoro had been the only one injured, thanks to the dirty attack of one of the pirate's underlings. He made his way to the infirmary while the others adjusted the sails and began to check up on the ship. As he pushed open the door of the sick bay, he saw the little reindeer doctor looming over his captain. There was a panicked look in his eye and his fur was ruffled. Zoro felt a knot form in the pit of his stomach.

"What's wrong, Chopper?" Zoro asked cautiously. The doctor was startled by his gruff voice and jumped slightly.

"H-his condition… I don't know what happened, but it got worse! The wound is bleeding again," Chopper gasped.

_To be continued…_

* * *

**Explanation time again! For those of you who haven't figured it out already, whatever happens to Luffy's body in the afterworld reflects itself on his living body. When the old man kicked him, it irritated his wound. The punches Luffy threw at his opponent however, wouldn't really affect the old man, seeing as he's dead. This chapter was fun to write~ Wooo~ c:**

**TheSilverCircle: ****Thank you! I was worried my pacing was too slow, so I'm glad to hear that!**

**BaconRainbow:**** Your pen name is pretty awesome as well! Thanks for taking time to review! :D**

**GhostoftheMoonlight****: I agree. Midnight writing is always more fun for some reason too~ I guess that "too-tired-to-think-rationally" thing comes in handy sometimes for stories. At least for me, keke. X3**


	8. Chapter 8: Silent War

**Chapter 8: Silent War**

**Disclaimer: One Piece is not mine.**

**Song of the Day: Lacrymosa by Regina Spektor**

* * *

Luffy panted as he hopped into the small boat and leaned against the side. Intense pain throbbed in his abdomen. He clutched the skin and pouted. Of course he was happy to feel pain, but this was almost too much. The pain was comparable to the aftermath of his fight with Lucci. The boat swayed as his elder brothers joined him. Ace briefly checked the log pose that was strapped on his wrist before giving Luffy a quick examination with his eyes.

"You've gotta be more careful," Sabo sighed. "Your body may look fine, but remember that you're actually really hurt. I'm surprised you've been running around this long without noticing. That blow must have irritated the wound."

Luffy frowned and traced his fingers over his abs. He didn't really have anything to say back. Now, he was starting to come down from the euphoria of being with his brothers again. The cold reality of his situation was rearing its ugly head once more. He had a thirst to fight that he couldn't quench. And although he enjoyed being with his brothers again, an ache formed in his chest when he realized that he only had a few more days with them at the most.

"Luckily," Ace began, finally breaking the unpleasant silence, "The log pose sets quickly on this island. So we can leave now. I'm sure that old guy won't be too happy if he sees us walking around again."

"Alright, I'll raise the sails," Sabo agreed. He gave Luffy a playful punch in the arm and added, "Cheer up, idiot. Let's get you back to your nakama."

The Straw Hat captain quickly shook off the disgruntled expression on his face and replaced it with an impossibly large grin. Ignoring the searing pain burning in the pit of his stomach, he pushed up to his feet and helped out his brothers to the best of his ability.

"Shishishi, alright. Let's go!"

* * *

"The bleeding won't stop," cried a distressed Chopper.

The reindeer shoved aside the sheets further to reveal a bloody mess pooling in his captain's abdomen. Unsure of what to do and ignoring his own wound (which looked like a paper cut in comparison,) the swordsman sidled up next to the tiny doctor and held out his hands, waiting for further instruction. Chopper guided Zoro's hands to press down on Luffy's wound.

"Keep pressing down hard," the reindeer instructed, now in his heavy point. "I'm sorry! I'll treat you as soon as this blood stops!"

Zoro put all his effort into pressing down on the wound, making sure not to put _too _much strength in. The warm, thick liquid touched his skin, dying his fingers scarlet. After a few painstaking minutes, the flowing blood finally came to a stop and the tiny reindeer by his side let out a huge sigh. The swordsman relaxed his arms and sank back in the chair beside his bedside.

"Is everything okay in here…?"

Zoro looked up in surprise to see Nami's head peering through the door of the infirmary. She shuffled into the room and bit her lip when she saw the puddle of blood surrounding Luffy.

"He's fine now," Chopper sighed with exhaustion. He was now tending to Zoro's wound with speed and precision. After shakily finishing up the stitches, he looked up at the navigator with wide, tired eyes. "While you were fighting, his condition suddenly spiked and got worse again! I finally stabilized him and… Zoro helped to stop the bleeding, but he lost so much blood! Nami, you have the same blood type as Luffy, right?"

"I think so. Yeah," Nami murmured; worry still tangled in her voice. She held out her arm to Chopper, who's expression was suddenly overcome with relief. The little reindeer tied off her forearm and instructed her to make a fist. After feeling for the vein and patting the skin with alcohol, he gingerly guided the needle into the skin. Nami winced slightly at the sudden intrusion, but ignored it and turned to Zoro. "We set anchor for the night. The rest of the guys are resting now and I told Sanji to take guard duty tonight."

"Good. Thanks," Zoro mumbled, lounging back in the chair to stare at the ceiling.

"I never realized how different fighting would be without Luffy," Nami admitted after a few moments of quiet. Chopper had instructed her to sit down as he set Luffy up with the blood transfusion. "Chopper, do you think he'll wake up soon?"

The little reindeer looked at her briefly, and then ran his eyes over his captain's unconscious body. The massive wound on his abdomen caused him to frown. After a quick observation, he gazed over at Nami. "I…can't tell. I haven't dealt with many comatose cases before… but Luffy won't let us down! So he'll wake up soon… Right?"

Zoro allowed a small smile to creep onto his lips. As long as Luffy had the slightest pulse, there was still hope. "Right."

"You're right," Nami smiled. She hopped up to her feet and wandered to the door. She gave Chopper and Zoro a questioning look. "What are you two going to do?"

"I'll watch over Luffy," Zoro said curtly, "Chopper can rest. I'll get him if I need to."

"…Get me if your wound gets worse too," Chopper reminded him. The little reindeer smiled, and, after making sure that his captain's condition was stable, he followed behind Nami.

As the door shut behind the reindeer, the swordsman heaved a heavy side. He was exhausted to say the least. It felt like ages since the Sea King incident, and he had barely been able to sleep since then. He couldn't help but wonder what things would be like when their captain did wake up. Ever since he had taken over the temporary position of captain, the Straw Hats had lost their adventure-loving attitude. Without the obnoxiously loud laughter and impossibly wide grin of their captain, it had become increasingly hard to return to their normal antics. Even if Zoro was a good captain, he wasn't Luffy.

The crew had begun to avoid the infirmary like the plague. Seeing the unconscious man was too painful a reminder that things were different. Zoro wondered if things would instantly go back to the way they were as soon as Luffy opened his eyes, or if it would be a process. The swordsman released a disgruntled huff.

* * *

The moonlit water gently rocked the boat back and forth. The brothers had set anchor as night finally fell upon them. Luffy had refused sleep ever since they had left the autumn island, no matter how tempting it may have seemed. He was trying to make the most of his brother's presence. The pain didn't help either. There wasn't a thing he could do about it. If Chopper were here, he would have given him something for the pain.

The Straw Hat captain frowned. There it was again: that odd conflict of emotions bubbling deep in his chest. He closed his eyes and felt himself sitting on the Thousand Sunny's head, with his nakama surrounding him. Then the pain in his core brought him back to the present and he looked up to see his brothers sitting around him. This was the childhood he could have had. His older brothers were his guiding lights in the ocean. He had lost them once, and now, as he felt their adventure quickly drawing to an end, he wondered if he could deal with losing them again. He knew his nakama were strong, and he knew that if he didn't make it, they should be able to make it without him…

"Luffy…"

The raven-haired man perked his head when he heard his name called out softly. It was Sabo, seeing as Ace had fallen into another one of his narcoleptic fits and was comfortably sprawled out against the side of the ship.

"Hmm?"

"How's that dream of yours coming?" his older brother smiled, exposing the gap in his teeth. "You're gonna be Pirate King, right?"

"Yeah," Luffy said. However, this time, his voice almost seemed hesitant.

"Somehow, I believe it more now than when you were just a little runt back on Corvo Mountain. But you know…"

"Huh?" Luffy asked, cocking his head in curiosity.

"There is no Pirate King in these oceans."

The Straw Hat captain seemed surprised when the words reached his ears. He shifted slightly to reach a more comfortable position.

"You've got nakama and a dream," Sabo continued. "If you die, then you die. But do it after you become Pirate King. Ace and I may not be there to share it with you, but its not like we're going anywhere. After you become Pirate King, you can come here and tell us all about it."

"But…"

Luffy jumped slightly as he heard Ace's voice. The freckled man had apparently woken up and was now shuffling into a sitting position. He cast his onyx gaze over Luffy and smiled warmly. "If you die before you become the Pirate King, then I'll personally find a way to kill you again."

"Got it?" Sabo asked, smiling widely as he stared over at his little brother.

Luffy was quiet for a while, but the grin slowly creeping over his face was more than enough information to let Ace and Sabo know that their words had gotten through his thick head. His internal conflict seemed to lift. Maybe in the end, he didn't have to choose between his nakama and his brothers. He'd just have to wait a little to have both. "…I know! I'm the man who will be Pirate King!"

The three brothers chuckled warmly. The moonlight softly illuminated their faces.

"Alright. Well, let's sleep. We'll set off again as soon as the sun rises," Ace said.

Luffy nodded and leaned back against the side of the boat. The swaying motion of the waves helped to take his mind off of the pain in his core and he felt himself slowly drift off into sleep.

_To be continued…_

* * *

**Alright! The finish line is in sight. I've got everything I need for the end of the story, now I just need to build my way up to it. Also I don't know if Nami and Luffy have the same blood type, I just put that in there for the sake of keeping her around a little longer to talk to Zoro.**

**CheekySorceror****: Thanks for pointing out the linebreakers! I usually put them in, but I forgot this time. I fixed that. Hope you enjoy the rest of the story. **

**BaconRainbow:**** Hehe yes. I'm afraid for the rat if Zoro would ever manage to find him again. And Sabo's death made me so sad when I read it. The Tenryuubito are jerks. :c**

**Ghost of the Moonlight****: Hehe! I'm glad you enjoy my Luffy-torturing. X3 I love Luffy, Sabo and Ace's interactions in the story. I wish there could have been more chapters with them. They're all so cute. (:**

**vivi: Ace's narcolepsy always manages to make me laugh. X3 Especially when he was on Buggy's boat.**


	9. Chapter 9: Flicker

**Chapter 9: Flicker**

**Disclaimer: One Piece is not mine.**

**Song of the Day: Wonderful World by James Morrison**

* * *

Soft clanking sounds and murmurs filled the dining hall as the Straw Hats quietly ate their breakfast. The aroma of fresh ham and fruit enveloped the room. With Luffy around, the crew would have hardly had time to take in the enticing scents of Sanji's meals. They would have been too busy finding clever ways to hide their servings from the captain's insatiable appetite.

"We've only had one other attack since the first," the navigator said, breaking the monotony of the quiet meal. "It's been two days. Doesn't it seem kind of strange?"

"Isn't that lucky? The last ship was weak, but we struggled with the first attack," Usopp said thoughtfully. He wasn't a frontline fighter and even seemed grateful for the lack of attacks. Noticing the unsure pause, he halfheartedly added, "They probably know better than to mess with the Great Captain Usopp."

"As much as I hate to admit it, I agree with Nami. It's almost like the calm before the storm," Zoro sighed, taking a slow sip of his coffee. "Anyways, Chopper… What's the news on Luffy's condition?"

"It's been the same," the little reindeer squeaked, "There hasn't been anything too serious…but there hasn't been anything good either."

The conversation ended awkwardly and faded into a silence they had become all too accustomed to. No matter how hard they tried to cover it up, each and every one of them felt lost. Breakfast ended and the Strawhats dispersed over the Thousand Sunny. Chopper went to the infirmary. Nami went to work on a map. Robin had retreated to the aquarium room to read. Usopp and Franky hid away in their respective workshops. Sanji stayed in the kitchen to wash the dishes. Brook brought out his violin and a mournful tune soon echoed over the Thousand Sunny. Zoro climbed the ladder to the crow's nest and lifted his weights as he watched over the surrounding ocean.

_Up, down, up, down, up, down… _

_997…998…999…100… Switch._

Zoro's muscles worked like clockwork as he exercised both of his arms. The monotonous routine of the up and down motions was almost comforting when put into context with the chaotic events that had taken place over the past two weeks. The swordsman settled himself by the window to keep a lookout on the surrounding sea. Nami had warned the crew that a storm was approaching, and the signs were finally beginning to show.

It began with the gently pit-pat of the rain against the roof of the crow's nest. Then, it slowly took shape in the forms of growing waves and darkening skies. Any other day, Zoro wouldn't have cared less if it was raining or shining, but the thick mist created by the storm was… worrisome. In a light rainfall, one could easily spot a ship. But in the dark downpour, it was hard to distinguish whether a silhouette on the horizon was a jagged rock peaking up through the sea or an approaching enemy ship.

He heard his crewmate's shouts from the deck and, figuring they were mostly Nami's orders being thrown about, he ignored them and continued to peer out the window. He let loose a frustrated huff. It was near impossible to see anything in this downpour. A crack of thunder broke the air. Moments later, a flash of lightning followed and illuminated the sky. Taking the brief light to an advantage, Zoro tried to look for anything he might have missed.

_Crash!_

The weights were thrown to the floor and Zoro bolted to the door, jumping down the ladder of the crow's nest haphazardly. The swordsman rushed onto the deck and found most of his nakama crowded onto the grassy lawn of the Thousand Sunny. Approaching fast was a decently sized caravel with worn out sails bearing skull and crossbones.

* * *

Luffy's eyes fluttered open, allowing the morning light to filter in. The sky turned a soft pink as the sun lazily ascended over the horizon. The raven-haired man let loose a yawn and stretched his limbs. He noted that the pain in his abdomen, although still there, had decreased slightly. The sharp, stabbing sensation had devolved into a dull ache. Wind whisked through his dark hair and he finally realized that the ship was in motion once more.

His older brothers were talking about something that didn't peek his interests, so he leaned over the side of the boat and simply enjoyed their presence anyway. The trio didn't have that much time left with each other, but their conversation the night before had reassured Luffy that it was nothing to be sad about. He had already decided that he wouldn't say goodbye. What was the use when he'd see them again anyway?

Luffy skimmed his fingertips against the surface of the seawater. The salty spray felt cool on his skin and he smiled, allowing the breeze to run through his messy raven hair. His straw hat fell behind him, hanging loosely from his neck. The sky grew noticeably darker and soon an onslaught of raindrops poured down upon them. Luffy shivered as the cold droplets hit his skin. He placed his hat over his head to ward off some of the rain.

"Oi, this might be bad," Ace sighed lazily, "Looks like it's gonna storm."

"A shabby boat like this won't hold up very well if that did happen. We shoulda stole something bigger," Sabo grumbled.

The wind began to pick up and the rainfall grew heavier. Soon, the soft morning sky had turned into a heavy gray. The small boat struggled over the now violent waters. The trio seemed oblivious to the huge waves that were slowly forming around them, as they argued and laughed. Taking things seriously wasn't a strong point for the brothers. However, Luffy's interest was divided when he noticed a silhouette approaching on the horizon. The raven-haired man squinted his eyes against the pouring rain. The approaching shadow was familiar. It was a large brig sloop with elegant features and…_a lion figurehead!_

"My ship!" Luffy exclaimed. The excitement in his voice pierced the air like lightning. Sabo and Ace were soon attached to his side as they tried to steal looks at their brother's ship.

"Great! Sabo, hurry up and-"

In a mere instant, as if fate itself was trying to keep the brothers from their goal, a huge, daunting wave crashed into the boat, scattering the trio into the surrounding sea. Splinters of weak wood drifted weakly through the sea as the boat was turned into mere scrap. The flicker of hope set by the sight of the Sunny seemed to grow dimmer by the minute.

* * *

The air grew thick with tension and Zoro's fellow crewmates stiffened in apprehension. Chopper had fled to the infirmary. Usopp was manning the cannons, desperately trying to ward off the approaching ship. The rest of the crew assumed their battle stances. With the first two attacks, the Straw Hats had conditions in their favor. However, this time, things were different. The other two crews were laid-back and arrogant, which led to their defeat. They had underestimated the brute strength of the Straw Hat. However, this group of pirates seemed to know what they were doing.

Within minutes, the caravel rammed into the side of the Thousand Sunny and the pirates poured out onto the deck. Their numbers weren't large at all, but the looks in their eyes were what made them worthy adversaries. They had a chilling determination set into their faces, along with a thirst for a good fight. Their captain was one of the firsts on the ship. She had rosy hair and wore a strange dark grey coat with sleeves in the shapes of monstrous clawed paws. Zoro quickly unsheathed his swords and assumed a battle stance. His icy gaze locked onto the she-captain. She stared back with an amused smirk.

"KILL STRAW HAT LUFFY," the she-captain screeched and all Hell broke loose.

_To be continued…_

* * *

**Will Luffy and his brothers be okay? Who are these new pirates? Will Zoro beat the she-captain's ass? Find out tomorrow. B)**

**Sorry that Luffy, Sabo and Ace don't have much of a part in this chapter. I'm saving that for Chapter 10~ ****The she-captain's name is Hadley, by the way. She fight using the clawed sleeves she has. They're a lot like Captain Kuro's, except instead of gloves, they're her sleeves. She'll be Zoro's opponent~**

**SilverRainFalls: Thanks! I'll make sure to make it a good one!**

**BaconRainbow: Hehe yes. I might throw in a little special at the end where the Straw Hats get their revenge on that darn rat! Thanks! I'm so glad you're enjoying~**

**Vivi: My favorite thing about One Piece is Oda's ability to break up the sadness with funny tidbits, so I tried to include that in my story too! I'm glad it works! :D**

**CheekySorceror: Hehe thank YOU for such kind reviews! C:**


	10. Chapter 10: Despair?

**Chapter 10: Despair?**

**Disclaimer: One Piece is not mine. **

**Song of the Day: Ambulance by Eisley**

* * *

"Kill Straw Hat Luffy!"

As soon as the command was given out, an earsplitting roar rose from the enemy pirates as the flooded over the deck. Chaos broke loose and the bloodshed began. The Straw Hats frenzied to single out the weaklings and eliminate them first. The faster the underlings were out of the picture, the less danger Luffy would be in. The pirate crew wasn't large to begin with, and it seemed only a few of the pirates had true strength on their side. After a few moments, the deck of the Thousand Sunny was littered with crumpled, unconscious bodies. Now, it was time to take out the champion fighters of the crew.

By the time they were finished taking out the weaklings, there were only 7 left. Smirks and smug expressions were spread over the remaining pirates' faces. Each Straw Hat seemed to gravitate towards an opponent. Nami took on a messy-haired brunette woman. Sanji settled with a hand-to-hand combatant with short black hair and cold eyes. Usopp's, or rather Sogeking's, opponent was a dark-haired man who seemed to be most skilled in long-ranged fighting. Though the blank, bored expression on his face seemed to hide his true abilities. Franky and Robin had formed an unconventional tag team and were fighting against a pair of twins. Brooke's opponent was a bulky, brunette swordsman.

Zoro, however, had chosen his opponent from the start. The rosy-haired woman assumed a battle stance and gave Zoro a confident, icy gaze. Without a moment of hesitation, the she-captain lunged forward in an animalistic manner and brought her claws down upon the swordsman. Zoro held the attack off and mentally noted the bizarreness of her weapon. At first glance, it looked like nothing more than a strange clothing choice. Upon further inspection, the swordsman compared them to Captain Kuro's cat claws. These, however, were monstrous in proportion. Each sleeve held three thick claws. The claws were sharpened like blades.

Zoro fended the claws off and lunged forward once more to get in an attack. The next few minutes were a blur of clashing metal. The swordsman panted and bit down on his sword's handle. He felt a strange sense of satisfaction welling in his chest. This was the first fight he had been in for a while. His muscle's throbbed with the desire to win.

"Hadley," the she-captain snarled. She brought her fists up and readied and smiled, "You should know the name of the woman who will defeat you, Roronoa!"

"Che," Zoro scoffed. "Don't get cocky… I made a promise."

Their blades clashed once more.

"Until I become the world's greatest swordsman," he continued, "I will not lose!"

* * *

Salt water surrounded every side of him. Luffy desperately kicked and thrashed, trying to pull himself towards the surface. Because he no longer had his Devil Fruit powers, he was no longer a hammer in the water. However, in this situation, it didn't matter either way. As soon as he managed to get his head up to the surface, another wave came crashing over him and pushed him farther down. The raven-haired captain felt his mouth fill with the salty ocean brine. He surfaced his head once more and desperately treaded water while he gasped for air.

"ACE… hahh hahh… SABO," he cried out pitifully between panting. In frenzy, he looked around to take in his surrounding. Angry waves, dark skies and splinters of wood from the wreckage… but his brothers were nowhere to be found. "HE-"

Another wave crashed over him and sent him into the dark depths once more. The man's limbs grew tired and an aching pain pulsed through his body. Desperately, he kicked more, trying to resurface one more time. The air supply from his last breath began to run out. His lungs felt as though they were throbbing in pain. Luffy gave one last kick before numbness swept over him.

"_Ace…Sabo…Help."_

Panic ripped through his chest like an icy fang. They almost had it! He knew that somewhere above him, the Thousand Sunny was drifting along the waves. He knew that all he had to do was find his body aboard the ship and he would have his nakama back. If he died here, he would have let everyone down. His brothers, his nakama, Shanks… The dim flicker of hope had burnt out and Luffy found himself staring at the cold, endless darkness of the sea.

* * *

Zoro took the she-captain's momentary weakness to quickly assess his crew's conditions. Brooke had finished his battle and was assisting Nami in her own. Franky and Robin were still in the heat of battle with the twins. Usopp was backing up Sanji in his battle. The sniper had apparently emerged victorious, but as he looked around for the unconscious body, he found none.

"Your opponent is me, swordsman," Hadley hissed as she recovered and lunged for another attack.

The swordsman's mind quickly reverted its attention to his own fight. He trusted his nakama, they would make it on their own. For now, he had his own problems. The she-captain stubbornly connected her claws with Zoro's swords. Her abdomen was bleeding heavily, and by the shakiness of her movements, Zoro knew that this wouldn't last much longer. But as much as he hated to admit it, the accumulated exhaustion from his weeks of sleepless nights was taking its toll. The green-haired man swayed, but held his ground. They were both exhausted. Now, it was only a matter of who had the stronger willpower.

Zoro readied a Tiger Hunt stance and prepared to launch his final attack. Hadley rocked on her feet, but raised her claws in front of her offensively. Tension crackled between them and after a split second, the two lunged forward with their final strike. A trickle of blood made its way from Zoro's mouth to his chin. With blurred vision, he glanced back at Hadley.

She stood tall and unmoving. The green-haired swordsman growled to himself and began to ready another attack but… As he raised his swords, the she-captain stumbled forward and coughed up a mouthful of blood. The woman cast an icy gaze back at Zoro, and grit her teeth.

"Everyone…! Everyone, retreat…!" the she-captain finally shouted in defeat. The enemy pirates weakly scrambled to their feet at their captains orders and poured over the rails of the Thousand Sunny. Zoro let out a quick, deep sigh and observed the damage. They had won! Although the battle left most of them breathless, they had won!

"Where's Kooper?" demanded the she-captain.

Zoro stiffened. There was one more left? He gave a quick scan over the deck but after a brief search, his eyes came up empty. Judging from the murmurs of Hadley's crew, he knew that the missing pirate was probably somewhere on the ship. He tightened his hold on his swords.

"Everyone! One of them is still on the shi-"

"**LU…LUFFFYYY!" **

The bloodcurdling scream almost seemed to tear the sky in half. Zoro's expression dropped. An aura of dread fell heavy on the Thousand Sunny. Everyone paused and stiffened with horror as they recognized the owner of the voice. _It was Chopper's._

"It looks like…"

Zoro spun around to see Hadley glaring right back at him. Though she was panting, she managed to spread a smug smile over her face.

"I got my way after all…!"

_To be continued…_

* * *

**Cliffhanger to the extreme! Hadley is a bitch, I know. ****This chapter was super fun to write though! I started it last night and didn't stop typing until 2 AM this morning. Writing can be so addicting fff. c: **

**Anyways, with the end of this story drawing near… I'm debating what I should write about next! I have an idea for an AU ZoLu fic but I'm still not sure. So…what do you guys think? Anything in specific you'd like to see from me? **

**BrokenBridges****: Pshh, you got that right! We can't let Luffy get off that easily. ;) It's not like he's gone through enough already! Thank you! **

**BaconRainbow:**** Hehe, thank you! xD**

**Ghost of the Moonlight****: The story is going to end pretty soon! And I assure you that there is more brother fluff to come before the story ends. c:**

**Vivi:**** Cliffhangers are my specialty! X3 And yeah, Oda's art/writing is just the perfect package of awesomeness. He's my idol, hands down! c: **


	11. Chapter 11: Hope for the Hopeless

**Chapter 11: Hope for the Hopeless**

**Disclaimer: One Piece is not mine!**

**Song of the Day: From my Hands by VNV Nation**

* * *

_Thump… thump, thump… thump…_

Darkness surrounded the Straw Hat captain, and for the first time in two years, he felt completely and utterly weak. All of the training he had undergone, his nakama's efforts to grow strong just for him… It was all for naught.

_Thump, thump… thump, thump…_

Luffy cursed at himself. His throat was raw, and no matter how hard he wanted to wail out to the skies, no sound would come. He squeezed his eyes shut. Something wrapped around his waist and he felt himself being lifted. Was this what dying really felt like?

_Thump, thump, thump, thump…_

Whatever was around his waist held him tighter, irritating his wounded body and the Straw Hat captain felt a fresh wave of pain wash over him. Then a cold rush of air hit his skin and caused him to shudder. Pain consumed every inch of his body. His throat was hot and swollen. His chest felt as if it were about to burst. His old wounds started to ache. Pain… _Pain meant that he was still hanging on!_

His body hit something solid and the man coughed up a mouthful of salt water. Luffy's eyes flung wide open and he looked all around him in frenzy, realizing he didn't know where he was. He felt rough hands shaking his shoulders and his daze was broken.

"Luffy! Goddammit, you sure know how to worry a guy," Ace panted. The older man gently helped Luffy to his feet. His younger brother stumbled shakily before finally getting his footing.

"W-Where are we? I'm not dead am I-" Luffy stopped himself from talking. His eyes widened and grew misty. If not for the pouring rain, his brothers would notice the tears of complete and utter joy running down his cheeks. "This is…the Sunny!"

Luffy heard Ace heave a sigh of relief. There was another sigh and Luffy looked over to see Sabo sprawled out on his back, panting heavily. The blonde man sat up and playfully slapped Luffy in the back of the head. A grin soon followed.

"Devil Fruit's curse or not, you're still a pain in the ass when it comes to water," Sabo teased.

"Shishishi, well thanks… I thought I was gonna die for good," Luffy chuckled. Shakily, he got back up to his feet. Ace offered his shoulder as support as the dark-haired captain swayed lightly. A hand was then offered to Sabo, pulling him up, and the three had formed a small triangle on the deck of the Thousand Sunny.

"Well, I guess this is it," Ace frowned. He wanted to smile and make the farewell a happy one, but deep down, it was truly saddening to see his brother go. After all, he knew that the next time he saw Luffy, he really would be dead this time. The thought of it brought back memories of the war on the summit and he felt a slight guilt prickling his chest.

"I gotta say, I'm sad to say goodbye too," Sabo piped up. He hadn't seen Luffy for over 10 years. Sabo still remembered the crybaby with the straw hat and the dreams. Back then he had simply dismissed the boy's bold claims as childish attempts to draw attention. Now, as he looked his little brother, he found himself believing every word. Luffy was the man who would be Pirate King. That was that.

Luffy grinned broadly and stared at the two older men with large, onyx eyes. His brothers were the world to him. They had been through thick and thin. The memories that they shared ran strongly through his veins. Now, he found himself savoring these last few minutes as they pushed their way past the infirmary door. Inside, all alone on the bed, was the Straw Hat captain's body. Luffy's fingers floated just above his bedridden figure. Just as he was about to touch the flesh and return to the living world, he pulled his hand back and looked up to his brothers with his widest grin yet. Light tears streamed down his face. He was happy to get back to his nakama, but he couldn't simply blot out the fact that he would miss his brothers.

"Don't say goodbye," he said simply. "Because I'll definitely see you again! Sabo. You were first. And Ace was second. I'm last… but I'm not going to let you guys beat me! Next time you see me, I'll be the King of Pirates! Just you wait!"

Ace and Sabo choked back their farewells. Their misty eyes cleared up and smiles curled on their lips. Suddenly, they wished that they had more time together. The two days they had spent together were bittersweet. Still, aside from the obvious sadness… They couldn't deny that they were relieved, and most of all, _happy. _With a little brother like Luffy… big brothers tend to worry. The last things they saw of him were that impossibly huge grin and those big, bright eyes filled with a yearning for adventure. An adventure that they would hear all about after Luffy had become the Pirate King.

* * *

The Straw Hats froze in place. Fear, apprehension, sorrow and a whole mess of other dreadful emotions brewed in their minds. They didn't know if it had been too late or if there was still time. All that was clear to them was the fact that they needed to get to their captain! Zoro bolted past them, panic was written all over his face. It was a rare emotion for him, but in this situation, no one would have dared to blame him.

As his feet guided him to where he needed to be, he saw that the door to the infirmary was open. The swordsman clenched his swords tightly. He could feel his heart beating and a strange, painful lump building in his throat. As he skidded to a brief stop in front of the open infirmary door, he took a second to drink in the scene.

Luffy was in the same place he had been for two weeks. His unconscious body was a mere ghost of what it had been. He was thin, pale and sickly. Chopper was sprawled out on the floor, struggling to move. There were little splatters of blood around the tiny doctor. From the stiffness of his movements, Zoro quickly assumed that Kooper had used some sort of paralytic on him. His hoof had a shaky grip on the strange man, Kooper's, ankle. The dark-haired man leaned over his captain with a haunting lust for blood. He pressed a blade to the unconscious man's throat. Rage and worry enveloped the swordsman's body and he leapt forward, swords in hand.

But… as soon as he was about to bring the blades down upon his captain's assailant, the man had flown through the wall and landed on the deck in a broken heap. Zoro spun around to see Kooper's body shakily rise from the rubble of the crash. A look of shock and fear trembled in his widened eyes. The swordsman could only stare, completely paralyzed with confusion. His nakama were now standing by his side, mouths agape as they watched the scene unfold. _What the hell had just happened…? _And then their answer came.

"…J-Jerk… That's not the right way to wake someone up…!"

The weak, raspy voice surprised them more than the sudden attack. Zoro felt the hairs on his neck stand up on end. Hesitantly, he turned around to identify the voices owner. As his eyes settled on the source of the voice, he still couldn't believe it. It had been two weeks since he had heard that kind, warm tone.

"Luffy!" Chopper squealed, still struggling against the paralytic. Happy, relieved tears trickled down his furry cheeks as he stared up at his captain.

The raven-haired man was now standing by the infirmary's bed, swaying slightly. The enemy pirates, now terrified out of their wits, made a speedy retreat. Within mere moments, the Straw Hats surrounded him, exclaiming his name and drowning him with warm, happy embraces. The pirates didn't know if they should laugh or cry, so they settled with both. Luffy let a grin dance across his lips before exhaustion settled over him once more and he fell back against Zoro. The swordsman could only smile as he gently supported the raven-haired man. The overjoyed embraces didn't cease and soon they decided that a celebration was in order.

For the first time in two weeks, the Straw Hat pirates had felt hopes bubbling in their chests. The dark clouds of sadness that had settled over them quickly died away. Their guiding light had returned to them.

_To be continued…_

* * *

**Luffy's alive! REJOICE!**

**I just had to do a really mean cliffhanger to build up the suspense! It makes his comeback more exciting. ;) I'm not sure if I'm pleased with the way this came out, but I'm so out of it today. I might rewrite later on. IDK.**

**Also, I'm not finished quite yet! I will probably add one or two more chapters, just to wrap things up!**

**I got so many reviews last chapter! Thank you guys! This daily updating schedule is really tough, but your feedback makes it more than worth it. Seriously, updating has probably become what I look forward to most these days~!**

**Saskie****: I'm so glad! Hopefully I can keep up this pattern with my next fanfic too! I like AceLu too. I'm not really picky when it comes to my pairings. xD**

**BrokenBridgers****: Bahaha, that review made me giggle. (: Hopefully the next few chapters help you recover from your cliff-hanger induced coronary!**

**Ghost of the Moonlight****: Gahh, I know! I'm terrible. xD I swear, I'm a sadist or something. It's the only explanation I can produce for torturing poor Luffy so much.**

**BaconRainbow****: I already have a special planned out for this fiction just for you hehe. X3 Zoro can finally get some much deserved revenge on the ratty!**

**NtKit****: I hope you forgive me with this chapter. Hehe. c; Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying~**

**Setsuka****: I'm so mean to my readers with all of the cliffhangers I introduce. X3 But thank you so much! Writing this makes me miss them a lot too ghsjf :c**

**CheekySorceror****: Thanks again! c: I wanted to punch Hadley when writing about her too…and she's my own OC! xD**

**Vivichu****: Aahh, please do not hunt me down! I am a good girl, I brought him back, see? :'D **


	12. Chapter 12: Until Then

**Chapter 12: Until Then**

**Disclaimer: One Piece is still not mine.**

**Song of the Day: Cancer by MCR**

***Many thanks to Ghost of the Moonlight for suggesting a better title!***

* * *

It was the morning after Hadley had launched her attack on the Thousand Sunny. The dark, hopeless aura that the ship had given off finally lifted when their captain had rose from his coma. However, being the man he was, he had overexerted himself and fainted once again, falling back against his swordsman. His crew was ecstatic, for lack of a better word. Their captain may be a loud-mouthed, thickheaded idiot but… that was what made him so great. As soon as their captain's eyes had opened and Kooper was sent flying, the Straw Hats had taken their first step to returning to their old selves.

The smell of fresh herbs and spices rose from the kitchen as Sanji prepared a monstrous feast for his captain. The man hadn't eaten in two weeks, and the blonde chef knew that after meal, not a single crumb would remain. Usopp was preparing an exciting tale to tell him when he was back on his feet. The tale would detail the great Captain Usopp's brave leadership of the crew in Luffy's absence, of course! Nami was tending to her mikans. As soon as Luffy was well again, she owed him a punch for making her worry so much. Robin was still quiet. Not much had changed in that aspect. But for the first time in two weeks, the crew had seen her smile sincerely again. Franky was repairing the Kooper-shaped whole in the wall. In Luffy's absence, there had been significantly less damage to the ship. Strangely enough, the huge cyborg had never been happier to repair his destroyed ship. Brook had exchanged his sorrowful songs for cheerful, celebration music. He even got a few chuckles out of the crew with his skull jokes.

Then there was Chopper and Zoro. The two had taken the brunt of the accident. Now, they were waiting loyally in the infirmary. Chopper was doing last minute examinations, but at this point, he was hardly worried. The soft snores of the captain ensured that he was in a peaceful sleep. Another set of snores mingled with the raven-haired captain's. Zoro leaned back in his chair, catching up on much-needed rest. The green-haired man looked at ease for the first time in two weeks… It was a shame that it wasn't meant to last.

"Gah! I'm starving," The Straw Hat captain had woken up and was now looking around wildly. "Hat… Hat… Where's my hat?"

At the sudden exclamation, Chopper and Zoro had practically jumped out of their skins. The swordsman rubbed his eyes wearily and frowned. When he realized that the reason he woke up was due to Luffy, the frown gave way to a slight smile. Chopper dropped what he was doing and hurriedly hopped up onto the bed to give his captain a long-overdue hug. Luffy cocked his head in confusion.

"You're so noisy when you wake up," Zoro grumbled, his voice dripping with exhaustion. He reached over for his captain's hat and tossed it over to him. Luffy nestled it onto his head and smiled.

"Ahh! Thank you, Zoro," he chirped happily.

He was about to say something else when a familiar, robotic face peeked through the door.

"Luffy-bro! You're awake!"

"Luffy's awake?"

Several excited murmurs rose from the deck and soon, all of the Straw Hats had poured into the infirmary. A huge grin was plastered over Luffy's face as he steadied himself into a more comfortable position. Nami pushed through her fellow crew mates and a subtle tension crackled in the air as they waited to see what she would do. Ignoring Chopper's warnings, the orange-haired navigator drew her fist back and landed a punch to her captain's head.

"Uwahh. What did I do?" Luffy pouted, rubbing the slowly forming bump.

"Do you know how hard these past two weeks have been for us, you idiot?" she growled. However, the spreading smile on her lips betrayed her emotions and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a warm embrace.

"Wha? Two weeks? That's…" He stopped to count. "I missed 70 meals! SANJI!"

"Already on it, Captain," the blonde laughed, taking a long drag on his cigarette. He retreated to the kitchen once more. His captain was a genius when it came to calculating lost meals. But when it came to other things… not so much.

"Can you worry about something other than your stomach for once?" Nami scowled, releasing her hug to put her hands on her hips. She gave him a disgruntled growl.

"Ahh, did anything happen while I was sleeping?" Luffy asked.

"You should know! You sent that guy that was trying to kill you flying!"

"That jerk I punched was trying to kill me?" he exclaimed in utter shock. The Straw Hats facepalmed; except for Robin, who simply chuckled at her captain's naivety. A half hour of laughter and story-telling passed and the initial excitement of Luffy's awakening finally began to calm down. The Straw Hats dispersed over the deck to tend to their duties. A new sense of relief had washed over them and gave them a renewed sense of motivation.

Luffy, however, was still cooped up in the infirmary. His stomach and leg were bandaged heavily. If it were up to him, he would be up out of the stuffy room and on the figurehead. Doctor's orders demanded bed rest however. He had tried to make a break for it several times, but found walking to be somewhat difficult. The muscles in his leg were still healing from the sea king incident. Being immobile for two weeks didn't help his cause either. On top of all that, he was starving and dinner wasn't ready yet. The Straw Hat captain pouted with all his might.

He found himself missing his brothers already. As he tried to reflect back on the two days he had spent with his brothers, the memories appeared foggy and blurred. The subtle ache in his chest grew along with his frustrations. He felt oddly alone without his brothers to watch over him.

Luffy's thoughts were disrupted by an approaching figure. He looked up to see Zoro holding out his hand. The captain grabbed on and was heaved up to his feet. Luffy leaned against the swordsman awkwardly to support himself. He hobbled out onto the deck with a grin on his face. The scent of warm food drew him in. Eventually, he felt comfortable enough to stand on his own and he slowly made his way over to the door of the dining hall. When he pushed through, he saw his crew happily gathered around the table. As his eyes took in the relieved, fun-loving smiles of his nakama, all of the negative feelings that had condensed in his chest evaporated.

He didn't have his brothers to watch over him anymore. But he realized that it was _his_ turn to watch over someone now. He had made a promise to each member of his crew at the beginning of their voyage. As their captain, it was his job to make sure that all of their dreams were to come true.

Zoro will be the world's greatest swordsman. Nami will draw a map of the world. Usopp will become a great warrior of the sea. Sanji will find All Blue. Chopper will find a cure for the incurable. Robin will uncover the true history. Franky and the Thousand Sunny will sail the whole world. Brooke would reunite with Laboon.

And Luffy…?

He will become the Pirate King, return his infamous straw hat to his idol and then he would go back and tell his brothers all about it.

But until then… he had a vast sea of adventure just begging to be conquered.

_The end...!_

* * *

**This chapter was so frustrating. *headdesk***

**I couldn't think of how to end it. And I'm not sure how I feel towards this ending. It's short, but like I said before, this chapter's purpose was to simply wrap things up. So don't be surprised if I rewrite this someday when I get better at writing. X3 **

**ANYWAYS… Now that this story is over, I'm going to work on a new one! I've been working on a story idea with Ace, Luffy and Zoro. It would be an AU story. It could be fun! But nothing is set in stone yet! So if there's anything you'd like to see me write about, please tell me about it! I'll take all the suggestions I can get.**

**Thank you guys for following along my first multi-chapter fanfic with me! You have no idea how awesome all of your reviews made me feel. c':**

**BrokenBridges: hehe yep! I may be mean, but I'm not mean enough to kill Luffy off after all that he went through! X3**

**CheekySorceror: OH YEAHH. /fistbump/ c: **

**TheSilverCircle: Thanks so much! :)**

**Saskie: Thanks! :D That's the mix of emotions I was aiming for so I'm glad to hear that I pulled it off well!**

**SilverRainFalls: I've had that punch planned for a while now! I just couldn't imagine Luffy having a boring awakening. He had to punch someone~!**

**Ntkit: Ahh, I'm so glad you've enjoyed my story! Seeing as this was my first multi-chapter, it means a lot! C:**

**Vivichu: That's a relief hehe! xD And ahh, I'm one of someone's favorite authors. That made my day! Thank you. c':**

**Ghost of the Moonlight: Thanks again for helping with the title! This one fits so much better.**

**BaconRainbow: hehe thank you! :D**

**Sess18: I don't want to say I'm glad that I brought tears to your eyes but I'm excited that I got the emotion I wanted through. Hehe. Did that make any sense? xD **


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